Jesus Christ fulfilled his destiny, and will reign over the Jews, and sit on the throne of his father, David, forever.
The Saints are growing to power amid the strongholds of the mountains of Deseret, and will surely take the Kingdom, and the greatness of the Kingdom, under the whole Heaven.
Who can withstand the Almighty, or frustrate his purposes? Herod died of a loathsome disease, and transmitted to posterity his fame as a tyrant and murderer. And Lilburn W. Boggs is dragging out a remnant of existence in California, with the mark of Cain upon his brow, and the fear of Cain within his heart, lest he that findeth him shall slay him. He is a living stink, and will go down to posterity with the credit of a wholesale murderer.
The court also inquired diligently into our missionary operations. It was found, on investigation, that the Church had sent missionaries into England and other foreign countries. This, together with our belief in the Bible, was construed into treason against the State of Missouri, while every act of defense was set down as murder, etc. The Judge, in open court, while addressing a witness, proclaimed, that if the members of the Church remained on their lands to put in another crop they should be destroyed indiscriminately, and their bones be left to bleach on the plains without a burial. Yes, reader, the cultivation of lands held patents issued by the United States land office, and signed by the President of the Republic, was, by Judge Austin A. King, in open court, pronounced a capital offense, for which a whole community were prejudged and sentenced to death. While those who should be the instruments to execute this sentence were called by the dignified name of citizens, and these good citizens afterwards elected that same Judge for Governor of the State.
The Judge inquired of the prisoners if they wished to introduce any witnesses for the defense. A list of names was supplied by the prisoners, when, who should be selected to go to Far West to obtain and bring them before the court, but the identical bandit, Bogart, and his gang, who were defeated by us in the Battle of Crooked River, after they had become famous for kidnapping, plundering and murdering!
Of course, every man in Caldwell would flee from such a gang if they could; but he succeeded in capturing a few of our friends, whose names were on the list, and bringing them before the court, when, instead of being sworn, they were immediately ordered to prison to take their trial. Others were sent for, and, as far as found, shared the same fate. This manoeuvre occupied several days, during which the court was still in session, and the fate of the prisoners suspended.
At length the Judge exclaimed to the prisoners: "If you have any witnesses bring them forward; the court cannot delay forever—it has waited several days already." A member of the Church, named Allen, was just then seen to pass the window. The prisoners requested that he might be introduced and sworn. He was immediately called in and sworn. He began to give his testimony, which went to establish the innocence of the prisoners, and to show the murders, robberies, etc., committed by their accusers. But he was suddenly interrupted and cut short by cries of "Put him out;" "Kick him out;" "G-d d—n him, shoot him;" "Kill him, d—n him, kill him;" "He's a d—d Mormon."
The court then ordered the guard to put him out, which was done amid the yells, threats, insults and violence of the mob who thronged in and around the court house. He barely escaped with his life. Mr. Doniphan, attorney for the defense, and since famed as a general in the Mexican war, finally advised the prisoners to offer no defense; "for," said he, "though a legion of angels from the opening heavens should declare your innocence, the court and populace have decreed your destruction." Our attorney offered no defense, and thus the matter of our trials was finally submitted.
By the decision of this mock Court some twenty or thirty of the accused were dismissed, among whom was Amasa Lyman Gibbs, Darwin Chase, Norman Shearer and myself and themselves and bail both forced to leave the State, thus forfeiting the bail bonds, while Joseph Smith, Hyrum Smith, Sidney Rigdon, Lyman Wight, Caleb Baldwin and Alexander McRay (all heads of families) were committed to the jail of Clay County on the charge of treason; and Morris Phelps, Luman Gibbs, Darwin Chase, Norman Shearer and myself were committed to the jail of Richmond, Ray County, for the alleged crime of murder, said to be committed in the act of dispersing the bandit, Bogart, and his gang.
This done, the civil and military authorities dispersed, and the troubled waters became a little more tranquil.